Hockey puck passer

ABSTRACT

This specification discloses a machine for automatically shooting or propelling a hockey puck. The machine includes apparatus for automatically issuing a hockey puck from a hopper. The puck is then dropped onto a platform in the path of a motor drive energy storing spring which propells the puck in a desired direction. The energy storing spring is provided with two separate structures for adjusting the spring energy. The two separate structures for adjusting the energy in the spring are a pair of screws inserted in a pair of elongated slots at one end of the spring for adjustably attaching the spring to the motor drive shaft and a block pin adjustably positioned such that the other end of the spring will be deflected upon contact with the block pin once during each revolution of the spring.

United States Patent [1 1 Alvares [4 1 Oct. 1, 1974 HOCKEY PUCK PASSER 22 Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 313,964

[52] US. Cl. 124/16, 273/1 B, 273/129,

124/36 [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/00 [58] Field of Search 273/129, 26 P, 30, l B,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,680,077 8/1928 Allender 124/49 X 1,758,032 5/1930 Dickman t 124/26 1,777,976 10/1930 Lacoste 273/26 D X 3,034,785 5/1962 Graham 124/41 UX 3,593,699 7/1971 Chalupsky 124/49 3,602,208 8/1971 Huerlimann 273/1 B 3,665,910 5/1972 Boni 273/1 B Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William Frederick Werner [57] ABSTRACT This specification discloses a machine for automatically shooting or propelling a hockey puck. The machine includes apparatus for automatically issuing a hockey puck from a hopper. The puck is then dropped onto a platform in the path of a motor drive energy storing spring which propells the puck in adesired direction. The energy storing spring is provided with two separate structures for adjusting the spring energy. The two separate structures for adjusting the energy in the spring are a pair of screws inserted in a pair of elongated slots at one end of the spring for adjustably attaching the spring to the motor drive shaft and a block pin adjustably positioned such that the other end of the spring will be deflected upon contact with the block pin once during each revolution of the spring.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HOCKEY PUCK PASSER The present invention relates to a hockey puck passer and more particularly to a portable machine wherein hockey pucks are stored in a hopper with the lower most puck resting upon a platform. A motor with an energy storing spring adjustably attached to the motor shaft, rotates the spring into energy storing position, whereby upon release the spring strikes to propell a puck in a desired direction and at a desired rate of speed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable hockey puck passer, inexpensive to manufacture. free of maintenance costs, and adjustable as to the speed at which a puck passes from the machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable hockey puck passer with an energy stored leaf spring and dual means for adjusting the energy storing capacity of the spring.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part and be pointed out in part in the following specification and claims.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part and be pointedout in part in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the new and improved hockey puck passer.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view, taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the energy storing leaf spring in loaded position.

In proceeding with this invention reference is directed to the drawings, wherein a base platform is indicated by reference numeral 11. A top plate 12 is held in spaced relation to base platform 11 by means of collars 13. Feet 14 underlie base platform 11. Screws 15 hold washers 16 against top plate 12, pass through collars l3 and fasten in feet 14, thereby to secure baseplatform 11 to top plate 12 with the space therebetween slightly greater than the thickness of a hockey puck or other pellet which might be propelled from base platform 11.

Top plate 12 is provided with an orifice 17. A magazine or hopper 18 having an inside diameter 19 slightly larger than the outside diameter of the hockey puck or other pellet stored therein for gravity feed, is fastened to top plate 12 in alignment with orifice 17.

An electric motor, generally indicated by reference numeral 20, is provided with a drive shaft 21 having a pinion gear 22 fastened thereon. Motor is fastened to top plate 12. A driven shaft 23 rotatably supported in top plate 12 is provided with a driven gear 24, rotatably engaged with said pinion 22, on one end. A bracket 25 is fastened to the other end of driven shaft 23. An energy storing leaf spring 26, provided with two elongated slots 27, 28 is fastened to bracket 25 by means of screws 30. Thereby to adjustably secure spring 26 to bracket 25.

A flange 31 is fastened to top plate 12 and base platform 11. A stem 34 provided with screw threads 32 is rotatably supported in flange 31. A handle 33 is fastened on one end of stem 34. A U-shaped fixture 35 is fastened to stem 34 by means of a cotter pin 36.

Top plate 12 is provided with an elongated slot 37. Base platform 11 is provided with an elongated slot 38. aligned with elongated slot 37. A block pin 40 is fastened in fixture 35 and is slidably guided in elongated slots 37, 38. Block pin 40 is located in the rotating path of energy storing leaf spring 26.

In operation, electric motor 20 through drive shaft 21, pinion gear 22, driven gear 24, driven shaft 23 and bracket 25 will rotate energy storing leaf spring 26- through repeated 360 cycles.

However, block pin 40 provides a barrier to the free rotation of spring 26. Motor 20 will force leaf spring 26 against block pin 40 where the outer end of leaf spring 26 will be momentarily held against rotation. As motor 20 continues to rotate leaf spring 26, said spring flexes (see FIG. 4) thereby storing up energy and simultaneously slidably receeding away from block pin 40. When the maximum energy is stored in leaf spring 26 as dictated by the length of leaf spring 26, the energy in spring 26 is released in a whipping action. A hockey puck or other pellet lying in the path of the whipping spring 26 will be propelled across base platform 11 and beyond the confines of base platform ll.Before the 360 cycle of leaf spring 26 is completed, a hockey puck or other pellet stored in hopper 18 will be dropped by the forces of gravity upon base platform 11 in alignment with the rotating leaf spring 26, whereby the whipping action cycle of leaf spring 26 is repeated.

Rotation of stem 34 moves block pin 40 toward and away from driven shaft 23 and thereby the relative position of block pin 40 to the length of the degree of energy stored in leaf spring 26 is determined. The relative position of leaf spring 26 to bracket 25 through elongated slots 27, 28 also determines the degree of energy stored in leaf spring 26.

Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by way of example, it should be realized that structural changes could be made and other examples given without departing from either the spirit or scope of this invention.

I claim:

l. A hockey puck passer comprising a base platform having an elongated slot, a top plate having an elongated slot aligned with the elongated slot in said'base platform, means supporting said top plate in selected spaced relation to said base platform, drive means including a driven shaft rotatably supported in said top plate, a bracket fastened to said driven shaft to provide a continuing cycle of rotation, an energy storing leaf spring, means adjustably fastening said leaf spring to said bracket, whereby said drive means through said driven shaft rotates said bracket and said energy storing leaf spring in a continous cycle of rotation, a block pin, means adjustably fastening said block pin for movement and support in said elongated slots in alignment with the rotatable path of said energy storing leaf spring, hopper means fastened to said top plate, whereby hockey pucks gravity fed find support upon said base platform in the rotatable path of said leaf spring to be successively engaged in each cycle of rotation by said leaf spring, said block pin blocking the path of free rotation of said leaf spring to thereby store energy in said leaf spring, said energy being released upon the continued rotation of said leaf spring.

2. A hockey puck passer comprising a base platform, a top plate, means supporting said top plate in selected spaced relation to said base platform, drive means including a driven shaft rotatably supported in said top plate, a bracket fastened to said driven shaft, an energy storing leaf spring, means adjustably fastening said leaf spring to said bracket, whereby said drive means through said driven shaft rotates said bracket and said energy storing leaf spring in a continuous cycle of rotation, a block pin, (said means adjustably fastening said block pin in said top plate and said base plate comprises) a flange fastened to said top plate and said base platform, a stem having screw threads, means rotatably supporting said stem in said flange, a U shaped fixture, means fastening said fixture to said stem. and means fastening said block pin in said fixture whereby said stem adjustably positions said block pin in alignment with the rotatable path of said energy storing leaf spring, hopper means fastened to said top plate, whereby hockey pucks gravity fed find support upon said base platform in the rotatable path of said leaf spring to be successively engaged in each cycle of rotation by said leaf spring, said block pin blocking the path of free rotation of said leaf spring to thereby store energy in said leaf spring, said energy being released upon the continued rotation of said leaf spring. 

1. A hockey puck passer comprising a base platform having on elongated slot, a top plate having an elongated slot aligned with the elongated slot in said base platform, means supporting said top plate in selected spaced relation to said base platform, drive means including a driven shaft rotatably supported in said top plate, a bracket fastened to said driven shaft to provide a continuing cycle of rotation, an energy storing leaf spring, means adjustably fastening said leaf spring to said bracket, whereby said drive means through said driven shaft rotates said bracket and said energy storing leaf spring in a continous cycle of rotation, a block pin, means adjustably fastening said block pin for movement and support in said elongated slots in alignment with the rotatable path of said energy storing leaf spring, hopper means fastened to said top plate, whereby hockey pucks gravity fed find support upon said base platform in the rotatable path of said leaf spring to be successively engaged in each cycle of rotation by said leaf spring, said block pin blocking the path of free rotation of said leaf spring to thereby store energy in said leaf spring, said energy being released upon tHe continued rotation of said leaf spring.
 2. A hockey puck passer comprising a base platform, a top plate, means supporting said top plate in selected spaced relation to said base platform, drive means including a driven shaft rotatably supported in said top plate, a bracket fastened to said driven shaft, an energy storing leaf spring, means adjustably fastening said leaf spring to said bracket, whereby said drive means through said driven shaft rotates said bracket and said energy storing leaf spring in a continuous cycle of rotation, a block pin, (said means adjustably fastening said block pin in said top plate and said base plate comprises) a flange fastened to said top plate and said base platform, a stem having screw threads, means rotatably supporting said stem in said flange, a ''''U'''' shaped fixture, means fastening said fixture to said stem, and means fastening said block pin in said fixture whereby said stem adjustably positions said block pin in alignment with the rotatable path of said energy storing leaf spring, hopper means fastened to said top plate, whereby hockey pucks gravity fed find support upon said base platform in the rotatable path of said leaf spring to be successively engaged in each cycle of rotation by said leaf spring, said block pin blocking the path of free rotation of said leaf spring to thereby store energy in said leaf spring, said energy being released upon the continued rotation of said leaf spring. 